Sanitary refrigerator support



March 23 1926. 1,577,842

w. J. MURPHY SANITARY REFRIGERATOR SUPPORT Filed March 21, 1924 InventorVii? man J Murphy Fatented Mar. 23, j

NITE earner FFHECE.

WILLIAM J'. MURPHY, OF ST. EAUL, MINIFESO'IA.

SANITARY REFRIGERATOR SUPPORT.

Application filed March 21, 1924. Serial No. 700,942.

ll '0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, -i/VILLIAM J. MUnrntr,

ator Supports, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a sani tary support for refrigerators.

hen a refrigerator is placed directly upon the floor, the sides thereof,which usually come almost flush with the floor, afford an immediateinaccessible housing fordirt, moisture, and vermin which make forunsanitary conditions.

An object of the present invention is to elevate a refrigerator tofacilitate cleaning in the vicinity thereof.

Another object is to movably support a refrigerator to improve thesanitary surrounding conditions thereof.

In order to attain these objects there is provided in accordance withone feature of the invention, an adjustable frame of metal tubingsupported on pivoted rollers having pins integral with movable sleevesconnected to the tubing thereof, which pins may be inserted in thecaster holes of arefrigera tor to support it and prevent relativemovement between the supporting frame and the refrigerator.

These and other features of the invention will be more specificallydesignated in the following description and the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1, is a view in isometric projection of a supporting frame madein accordance with th present invention, showing a portion of arefrigerator supported thereon.

Figure 2, is a view in longitudinal section of the adjustable portion ofa tubular side frame member.

Figure 3, is a view in side elevation of a refrigerator positioning pinas carried by a slida'ble sleeve which is mounted on a side member ofthe supporting frame; and

Figure 4:, is a view of a supporting roller which may be used with thesupporting frame, a portion thereof being broken away to show rollerswhich facilitate pivoting movement thereof.

deferring to the drawings in detail, a name A is composed of metaltubing wherein four corner members i, which be three-way ninety-degreepipe fittings, each of which has screwed in a lower outlet 2 thereof, avertical supporting leg 8. Each pipe fitting or corner member isprovided with an opening 1sufficiently larger than the third opening 5of each corner fitting 1 to receive a pipe 6 which will be large enoughto telescopically contain a pipe 7 to be inserted in the small opening5. A sleeve 8 has integral therewitha pin 9 of a size to convenientlyfit within a caster opening of a standard size. Thumb screws 10 may beplaced on the opposite side from pin 9 to secure sleeves 8 at desiredpositions on the tubular frame members. Four of these sleeves and pinsupports are illustrated, one on each corner ofthe frame.- Diagonalsupports '11 may be welded across. the corners, as shown, toadditionally brace'and strengthen the frame. A thumb screw 12 isprovided on each of the larger tubular frame members 6 of each cornerunit, and are placed adjacent the open end of each frame memher 6 towhich they are fitted to grip the smaller pipe 7 telescopically insertedtherein. Casters 13 are provided on the lower extremity of each cornerupright to provide a rolling support for the frame. Any sturdy caster,capable of maintaining arpivoted rolling support under considerable weiht, is applicable to this use, the one illustrated in Figure 4 being adesirable type. The wheels 14L thereof and rolling supports 15 form thepivoting means thereof, insuring ready movability of the refrigeratorsupported thereby at all times. The casters may be affixed to the legs 3by inserting wooden plugs 16 in the ends of the legs and drilling acentral hole in each plug to receive a pin 1? of the caster, a discwasher 18 being inserted as shown to provide a track for the rollingsupports 15. Of four corner units required to make a frame A, as shownin Figure 1, two kinds of corner units are required, namely, the kindshown at B which has a small diameter long pipe, and a large diametershort pipe; and the kind shown at C which is provided with a smalldiamcter short pipe, and a large diameter long pipe. Adjacent cornerpieces are dissimi lar, and diagonally opposite ones are similar.

From this it may be seen that but two or three sizes of frame cornerunits are req'uiredto handle all types of refrigerators, from the thelargest, inasmuch as each frame is capable of adjustment over a distancevarying from eight to eighteen inches.

A rack E for supporting a drip pan F may be composed of strong wire,welded together and supported by loops 20 encircling the telescopingframe members of the support A. This leaves the entire floor beneath arefrigerator accessible for cleaning and open to light and air, therebypromoting sanitation.

In using the support, the sleeves 8 are placed a sufficient distancefrom the corner fittings 1 to bring each outside corner of arefrigerator D in line with a leg 3. The frame thumb screws 12 are thenloosened and the frame adjusted to the approximate size of therefrigerator. The refrigerator is then lifted onto the frame A which isreadily ad- ]usted by telescopically moving the corner members thereofto permit the pins 9 to be inserted into the caster holes in therefrigerator, which is then lowered into position on the frame A. Thumbscrews 12 are then screwed in to secure the telescoping members inposition. The refrigerator when thus supported in a raised position ismore easily 'accessible, especially the bottom shelves thereof, accessto which in its normal low position is exceedingly ditiicult andsometimes compels a housewife to get down on one knee to remove anarticle therefrom. l urthermore, it is a simple matter to sweep or mopunder a refrigerator when it is in a raised position, and, light and airhaving ready access to the floor under the refrigerator, prevents theexistence of a damp condition there which is sometimes sufficient totaint food such as butter, cream, and the like, and to rot the floorbeneath a refrigerator resting directly on the floor. When it is desiredto clean down the walls surrounding a refrigerator, the refrigerator maybe readily moved out by grasping a side frame member and pulling it outon the casters lVhat I claim is:

A refrigerator support comprising upright corner posts, telescopicallyadjustable frame members connecting the corner posts, and sleeve meansslidable on the adjustable members each of said means having a pinintegral therewith to penetrate a caster opening in a refrigerator.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM J. MURPHY.

